Dwarves and giants originated as celestial aeons in the realm of Smidloft. Though both factions were created to be caretakers and protectors of the celestial realms, dwarves and giants disagreed upon the distribution of labor among them. This disagreement escalated to all out war, during which the important work for which both factions were created all but stopped. Disgusted with both dwarves and giants, the god Olim banished both from his realm, cursing them all to live as mortals on Riadus. This banishment came to be knows as The Fall.
After The Fall, the fighting between dwarves and giants ended, though fiery animosity remained. Both new ancestries avoided armed conflict, fearing the further wrath of Olim should another war break out. Each ancestry claimed their own territories and conflicts were kept to a minimum so long their established borders were never crossed. During this time, dwarves, as the first and only civilized people, spread out across all of Reylan and nearby continents, colonizing most of the world in only a few hundred years. As other ancestries came into being, the dwarves withdrew back to their adopted homeland of Dynthgar, leaving only a few of their colonies to continue to flourish so long as they avoided conflict.
Age of Fractured Clans
For the first several centuries, dwarves gathered into small communities which frequently fought over territory and resources. These clan, lead by their jarl, would sometimes raid nearby clans, but had a preference for seeking more distant territory to avoid swift retaliation. Slowly, multiple clans in an area would band together, forming a kingdom of sorts lead by a fjalking. The fjalking was responsible for ensuring the defense of all the clans by maintaining a small standing military which could respond to raids by other kingdoms. Wars between these fledgling dwarven kingdoms were nearly constant and always bloody.
Age of Unification
After nearly a millinium of war among the dwarven kingdoms, the dwarven gods returned. Thought to have been completely abandoned by Olim and the Vortex, most dwarves at first rejected any implication their creators would once again care for and make use of them. Some saw that the gods indeed wished to be reunited with their people, and became the first clerics. Wielding true divine power, these clerics slowly converted the majority of dwarven society into their new religion. In doing so, all dwarven kingdoms united, as fighting one another would be the same as brother fighting brother, as all were children of Olim.
Age of Domination
Forging the new kingdom, Dynthgar, out of the new religious practices perscribed by Olim and his clerics, the dwarves set out to spread their people across the continent. In their exploration, they encountered and displaced other ancestries, such as orcs, goblins and lizarfolk, but these peoples were viewed as primitive and unsuited proper civilization. In only a few generations, the dwarves had established colonies nearly everywhere.
Age of Disillusionment
With their success at populating the continent, the dwarves grew egomaniacal in their control over the world and its resources. Their hubris would come at an immense cost, for the gods had forseen this possibility. The elements of nature, creatures from the Wild, and the once “primitive” ancestries seemed to collectively rise up and thrwart the dwarves further attempts at expansion. This resistance quickly turned into retaliation as colonies were overthrown by orcs or lizardfolk, or swallowed up entirely by the Wild. The only colony to survive was Haithgar, far to the south, which was now cut off from Dynthgar.
Age of Contemplation
Following the destruction of their great empire, the dwarves retreted into their homes, both Dynthgar and Haithgar. Scholars, philosophers and clerics debated the dwarves role in the world, while soldiers defended the two nations from incursions from orcs and humans. Common folk toiled away with their daily lives mostly unconcerned with such goings on. During this time, dwarves perfected their crafts, established new works of art and kept their people safe. By the end of this time, dwarven society would have been nearly unrecognizable to the ancient dwarves who were cast out of Smidloft.
Age of Commerce
In the modern age, the nations of Dynthgar and Haithgar have emerged as two separate superpowers, each with their own navy superior to any other on Riadus. Their craftsmanship has lead them to become the standard against which the quality of all goods are measured. With an official stance of political neutrality, both nations engage in open trade with their neighbors. This trade includes the hire of services, including mercenaries, ships and and other military assets which could tip the balance of power one way or the other in the wars of other nations.
